The Tibetan Mastiff Dog – Do-khyi or Tsang-khyi

The Tibetan Mastiff is also known as “Do-khyi” which is loosely translated as “dog that is guardian”.  It is often allowed to run loose in Tibetan villages at night in order to protect them from strangers.

There are two types of Tibetan Mastiffs.  One is the Do-khyi and the other is Tsang-khyi.  These dogs can appear in the same litter, and the Tsang-khyi or monastery dog is usually the description alluded to the heavier dogs in the litter.  The smaller, lighter dogs are called the Do-khyi.

image from Wikipedia

They grow to between 25 and 28 centimetres tall, and weigh up to 82 kilograms in the West, though they can be taller and heavier in Tibet.  They have a long double coat that can be any color, the rarest color being white.  They live to about 10 to 14 years old.

The odd thing about these dogs is that they lack the usual “dog odour” associated with most breeds, as their double coat seems to shed dirt and other contaminants easily and quickly. They moult at the end of winter, and sometimes at the beginning of autumn as well.

In the west, breeders separate the Tibetan Mastiff into two types – the Lion head with a large ruff or mane, and the Tiger Head with shorter, more even hair.

image from WorldMustBeCrazy

The Tibetan Mastiff requires a large yard with regular exercise, and is not suited to apartment living.  They can have a stubborn temperament and, being intelligent, require obedience training early on and require strong leadership within the family unit.  They make excellent guard dogs, while being great family dogs.  They can bark quite a lot at night as this is how they were bred, to be nocturnal guardians of villages and families, so it is suggested to keep them indoors at night to prevent aggravated neighbors.

Potential hereditary disorders to be aware of include hip dysplasia, hyperthyroidism, neuropathy problems and other problems that plague most large breeds – however, the Tibetan Mastiff rarely suffers these. Nevertheless, as with all dog breeds, a veterinary check is recommended to rule out these problems, especially in breeding specimens.

 Catherine R Booth is the writer of several successful blogs, most notably www.endangeredextinct.blogspot.com ; www.printershopper.blogspot.com ; and www.scrimper.blogspot.com .